Dental Check-up & Sweet Treat in Marina Mall, Lapu-Lapu

I wake up early this morning because I decided to get a student permit (a prerequisite to get a driver’s license) at the Land and Transportation Office (LTO) in Lapu-Lapu City. I ride a motorcycle to make sure that I will be as early as possible.

I arrived at around 6:45 AM. The office will open at 8:00 AM. And, guess what? I’m already on the second half of the list – for the afternoon batch. Though I am very early, still I wasn’t able to make it to the morning batch. However, I do not call it unfortunate, that fact that I am still scheduled on the same day – though in the afternoon already – is still something to be thankful for. 🙂 [My complete guide of the Student’s License Application Processing can be found here.]

The security guard, who sits at the information desk to cater questions and queries, advised me to come back at 12:30 PM. So, what can I do? I can’t go home and get back on the advised schedule. (Actually, I can, but, it takes my time and it would be tiring.) Hence, I decided to go to Marina Mall for Oral Prophylaxis.

As I was walking down the road to the highway, one song came to my mind in an instant. The song was Bruno Mars’ Lazy Song. I laughed silently and said to myself, what a perfect song to accompany me through the first half of my day.

I know that the Dental Clinic will be opened at 8:00 AM. However, I decided to go there early because I thought patient’s will be lining up – but, I was there all alone with a few people coming and going.

It’s around 7:15 AM and the air is so hot. I stood near the balusters and watching the vehicles down below. I was at the second floor as it’s where the clinic is.

Just across is a two-storey building with a clock tower like that famous Big Ben of the Palace of Westminster in London. Right next to the tower is an array of air conditioners of different sizes, big and small. I sighed and silently wished I could enjoy the coldness of just one of those. It’s really too hot, and the feeling is being amplified with the long wait and almost empty hallway of the second floor.

From time to time, I will glance at the clock in the tower, and, then, it strikes 8. However, there is still no sign that the dental clinic will open.

Dental Clinic Consultation

Just around 8:20 AM a woman wearing a casual dress walk her way up on the staircase. I told myself, this is definitely the dentist (but, never saw her ever since). I just hoped that after she climbed the stairs she would make a left turn and another left turn towards the clinic .And, indeed, she’s the dentist.

She opened her clinic and let me wait for a few minutes for her to prepare everything. Then, she asked me to come to the room to start the procedure. She checked my teeth and, I know, there are a lot of aspects that need the dentist’s expertise. We’ll cleaning is one thing, but, since my teeth are not been taken cared of for few years, a few of them requires dental filling.

She told me that around 12 of my teeth needs to be treated. She also told me to have the x-ray for my whole teeth Panoramic X-ray, Cephlometric x-ray .etc.To cut the story, I need to pay Php 17,700 and another around Php 80,000 to have all my teeth fixed, if I really need to. That’s too costly. However, that’s the prize of not taking good care of my teeth. 🙁

There are two dental clinics at the second floor of Marina Mall – Dr. Ana Solon Augusto Dental Clinic and Mactan Medical and Dental Center. I choose the former because the dentist at Mactan Medical will only be available at 10:0 AM. As for the cost of Oral Prophylaxis, especially for walk-in without insurance, Dr. Ana Solon Augusto charges around Php 500 for mild cleaning, but it may be costlier if you got some problems, dental filling is around Php 400 per part (a tooth could require more filling which costs up to Php 4,000+). As for the Mactan Dental Clinic, I had only asked about the Oral Prophylaxis which costs you about Php 700.

Sweet Treat at Cafe de France

After the treatment, I immediately went to Café de France, just across Marina Mall where my favorite carrot cake is sold. I went in to just pass the time. I ordered Mocha Frappe (Php 140) and piece of my favorite carrot cake (Php 40). I stayed there for more than an hour, passing the time and writing this article. Since I can’t satisfy myself, I brought home 3 pieces of carrot cake.

I still have a long day ahead but, hoping this little sweet treat will make me energetic and help me survive the waiting in LTO.

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